Holidays, hospital stays and even moving house are no reason for loyal Evening Press reader Tilly Slater to miss out on her nightly dose of York news and views.

Tilly Slater, 89, of New Earswick, with the books she won for being the Evening Press's most loyal reader

Tilly, 89, of Lime Tree Avenue, New Earswick, is the winner of the Evening Press Local Newspaper Week competition to find the city's most loyal reader.

She has won a year's free subscription and a £50 selection of novels to keep her busy in the hours before the Press hits the shops.

A former Terry's worker, Tilly was born in the city and has lived here all her life. She started getting the Evening Press from Woodcock's newsagents, New Earswick, in 1937, when she got married. To this day, the son of Mr Woodcock, who has taken over the business, supplies the paper to her daily, and when she moved to a new bungalow a copy came through the letter box as usual at 4pm on the very afternoon she moved in.

"When on holidays in Blackpool, I always get the Press sent to my boarding house," said Tilly.

"I'm always eager to see what's happening at home.

"When I had a short stay in hospital my son always saw I got a copy of the Evening Press to read."

And when she is at home she always makes sure she has prepared her dinner before the paper arrives or she knows she will become so engrossed that she will be hungry for hours.

"I love all the news and information about shops and holidays and bus times and everything," said Tilly.

"But my favourite thing is the rugby coverage - I'm a big fan of Rugby League."

Tilly was featured in an Evening Press article last year when she was identified as one of the longest-standing readers of the Evening Press. She was pictured with her favourite Evening Press supplement - the Rugby League Special and to this day she still anticipates with excitement the sports pullout each Monday.

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